Envelope opener



April 15, 1924'. 1,490,172

C F. HURREL ENVELOPE OPENER Filed y 27. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 5 I Q CyruJFfiQzr/"QZ Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES CYRUS raAILnY HURREL, or nonron, KANSAS. f

' ENVELOPE OPENER.

Application filed May 7,1922. Serial No. 564,094

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I CYRUS FRAILEY HUR- REL, a citizen of the flnited States, residing at, Holton, in the county of Jackson and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelope Openers, of which the following is a specification. V

I My present invention has reference to a device for opening envelopes.

In carrying out my. invention, it is my purpose to produce an extremely simple, cheaply constructedbut thoroughly operative device whereby the edges of envelopes may be severed in an easy and accurate manner. r p

It is a further object to produce a means for clipping the-edgeof a sealed envelope which includes a base on which the envelope rests, a spring plate. in the nature of a holder forcing the envelope against the base,,stop means. being provided on the base for properly positioning both the end and edge of the envelope, the last mentioned means also serving as a guide for the movable knife of the device to properly position the cutting-'edgethereof with respect to the cutting edge of the stationery, the movable knife being operated by a suitable handle.

A still further object is to produce an opener for envelopes in which the edge of the envelope is severed and in which provision is made for taking care of such severed edges.

The foregoing, and other objects which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative association of parts such as is disclosed by the drawings which accompany and which form part of this application. i

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the manner in which an envelope is arranged on and severed by the improvement.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the improvement.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an edge view looking toward the cutting knives.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4, showing the manner in which the pivoted cutting knife is limited in its swinging m'ovement and is guided toward the stationary knife,the said guide also serving as the means for limiting the outward movement of the envelope on the device] As disclosed by the drawings, I make use I of a'fiat substantially rectangular base 1 which is'prefera bly in the naturer of a wooden block. On one edge of the base I secure a blade 2. The blade, 2 extends the entire length of the base and the cutting edge thereof is beveled ,outwardly from the upper edgeof the base. Passing through the blade and entering the base, at points approximately equi-distant from the center thereof there are spaced hooklike members 3. These hooks serve as holding means for the edges which are clipped or cut from the envelopes.

Pivoted, as at14 to the blade 2, adjacent one end thereof, and-also if desired, to the base 1, there is the swinging blade 5. I This blade has its lower edge preferably arranged at acurvature, its saidloweredge being beveled inwardly to provide the cutting edge which is indicated by the nu 1 swinging of the pivoted blade over the fixedblade. Inward of the stop 8 there is secured upon the outer face of the fixed blade 2 an upwardly directed hook-shaped member 9. The beak 10 of the member 9 is rounded and is disposed only a slight distance from the outer face of the fixed blade, being, however, arranged a slight distance above the cutting edge of the said fixed blade. The beak thus is arranged in a position to contact with the outer edge of the envelope 11 when the same is arranged on the base, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, and therefore serves as a means for contacting with and holding the envelope to be engaged between the fixed and pivoted knives.

Secured on the top of the base, and having its outer edge in a line with the inner face of the fixed blade 1 there is a flat spring member 12. The flat spring has, as stated, only one of its ends secured to the base, and therefore its opposite end which is disposed over the end of thebase adjacent "that-pro vided with the stop and guide means is normally disposed above the base.

Passing through a suitableopeningiin-the spring member 12 thereis a stop pin 13. In a line with this pin there is secured on "the base a second stop pin I4. These pins are designed to be contacted by one end of the envelope 11 so that both the end and edge of theen'velope are maintained in proper position to be acted on by the cutting "elements of 'the improvement.

Itis thought that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set 'forth the construction "and-operation of "the improvement to those skilled in-the art to which such inventions relate so that 'further detailed description \villnotbe'nec'essary. It isQof course, to beun'derstood that the spring member 12 iscontacted by the finger'of one hand of the operator when the envelope 11 is arranged onthe'device to be operated on by'the cutting elements.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. "Ina'deVicefor the "purposes'et'forth, a substantially 'rectangular block, a blade secured to one edge 'thereof having its upper edge beveled inwardly to "provide 'a cutting edge, a blade piv'otally secured adjacent one endofthe fixed blade'having its lower edge v curved and beveled inwardly to provide a cutting edge, *an operating handle for the pivoted"blade, stop means on th'e fixed blade limiting the movement of the'pivoted'blade theretoward, spring means on the fixed blade fixed blade, a spring plate having one end secured on the base disposed adjacent the fixed 'blade for contacting the envelope to compress the same against the base, and stop means'on theb'ase to engage one end of the envelope.

2. In an envelope'opener, a substantially rectangular base, a blade secured "to'one edge thereof and having its upper edge beveled inwardly toward the'ba'seto provide a cutting edge, a 'blade pivotally secured adjacent to one end "ditjthe fixed blade and having its lower "edgecurved' and beveled to provide a cutting edge, an operating handle for the swingable bla'de, "stop means on the fixed blade for limiting the movement of the swingable toward the fixed blade, means on the fixed "-bladedesigned to contact with an envelope arranged on the base and to also contact with the 'swin'gable blade to guide the same toward the fixed blade, a spring plate having one end secured on the base and arranged adjacent to the fixed blade and designed when contactedjto-compress an envelope arranged there'be'lo'w on the base, spaced stop means on the base forthe envelope, one of which passing through the spring plate, "and "spaced "hook-like members projecting outwardly from the fixed blade t'o receive the severed portion of an envelope thereon.-

In' testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CYRUS FRAILE'Y HUB-REL. 

